Apparatus and method for cleaning bidirectional food conveyor belt

ABSTRACT

In a food conveyor system configured to drive a conveyor belt in one direction to direct food material for further processing and drive the conveyor belt in a reverse direction upon the sensing of metal in the food material, the conveyor belt is cleaned by one or more belt cleaners including scrapers which are automatically angularly repositioned upon the changing of the drive direction of the conveyor belt, with the angular movement being limited to acute angles relative to the vertical. The belt cleaners are mounted through linkage assemblies for ease of cleaning and replacement. The food conveyor system also employs one or more chute members for directing the food material, with the one or more chute members being mounted through a quick release connection employing keyhole slots upon flexing of the chute member(s).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to food conveyor systems and, moreparticularly, to the cleaning of a metal detector conveyor belt systemused in food production applications.

When producing food products on a commercial scale, the food productsare often transported around a factory using a conveyor system. Suchconveyor systems frequently include one or more conveyor belts. Whentransporting food products prior to final packaging, the food productssometimes leave particulate and/or liquid residue behind on the conveyorbelts. This is true in a wide range of food production areas, includingcereal and soup production industries. In general, these types ofconveyor belts recirculate around rollers. With such an arrangement, therollers can be directly exposed to the particulate and/or liquidresidue. To avoid this problem, it is known to clean the belts, such aswith wiping blades or fluid streams which continuously clean the belt.Certainly, such a cleansing operation can get particularly morecomplicated if the conveyor belt changes direction during operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for cleaningresidue from bi-directional food conveyor belts. More specifically, acentral portion of a conveyor belt receives a substantially continuoussupply of food material and transports the food material in a firstdirection through a metal detector. If no metal is detected, the foodmaterial is then directed toward a subsequent processing station, e.g.,a packaging station, adjacent one end portion of the conveyor. However,if a controller receives a signal from the metal detector indicative ofthe existence of metal in the food material (i.e., a positive metaldetection signal) on the conveyor, the food supply line is paused andthe conveyor drive is reversed to divert the food material on theconveyor in a second, opposite direction. Upon reaching another endportion of the conveyor, the food material is discharged from the supplyline. After the conveyor has traveled a predetermined distance or timeto assure that all of the supported food material has been removed, thecontroller automatically redirects the conveyor to again be driven inthe first direction and the supply line is released from its pausedcondition to continue with transporting the food material toward thesubsequent processing station.

The conveyor belt is an endless belt which passes around multiplerollers as the conveyor belt changes from traveling in the firstdirection to traveling in the second direction, with at least one of therollers constituting a drive roller. In accordance with one particularaspect of the invention, one or more belt cleaning members, such asscrapers, are provided which engage with the conveyor belt in order toprevent build-up of particulate and/or fluid residue deposited on thebelt for sanitation purposes. More specifically, each cleaning member ismounted through a linkage assembly for selective movement between anin-use position, wherein the cleaning member engages with the conveyorbelt below an upper food surface supporting level, and a non-useposition wherein the cleaning member can be serviced. When in the in-useposition, the cleaning member extends transversely or laterally acrossthe conveyor belt at an acute angle to the vertical opposite a directionof travel of the upwardly facing food supporting level of the conveyorbelt. More specifically, the cleaning member is mounted through a pivotconnection enabling the cleaning member to automatically shift fromangling toward the second end portion of the conveyor belt when the beltis traveling in the first direction to angling toward the first endportion of the conveyor belt when the belt is driven in the reversedirection.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, provided directlyadjacent the first end portion of the conveyor belt are upper and lowerchute members. Each of the chute members is formed from a flexiblematerial and attached to supporting structure by quick release mounts.In a preferred mounting embodiment, each chute member is provided withspaced keyhole slots, each having an enlarged diametric opening leadingto a narrowed slot, while the supporting structure is provided withspaced mounting pegs, each with an enlarged head and reduced diametershaft portion. When mounting, each chute member is flexed to assume aconcave condition, each enlarged diametric opening is aligned with andreceives a respective one of the enlarged peg heads and then the chutemember is shifted downward causing the reduced diametric shaft portionsto slide along the narrowed slot until a desired mounting position isachieve (e.g., the shaft portions reach the end of the narrowed slots).Upon being released, the chute member remains partially flexed and willbe frictionally retained in an operative position. The keyhole slots arearranged so that forces applied by the food material hitting and beingdeflected by the chute members will not lead to release of the chutemembers. However, removal of the chute members for cleaning orreplacement purposes can be readily performed without the need for anytools.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomemore readily apparent from the following detailed description ofpreferred embodiments thereof when taken in conjunction with thedrawings wherein like reference numerals refer to common parts in theseveral views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a production lineconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a front section of the production line shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a rear section of the production line shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rear section of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged frontal view of the production line of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein.However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments aremerely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various andalternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and somefeatures may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particularcomponents. Therefore, specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as arepresentative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ thepresent invention.

With initial reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a portion of a foodproduct production line constructed in accordance with the presentinvention. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows food material 10 being transportedin a direction 15 by a conveyor system 25. At this point in the process,food material 10 is loose, i.e., unpackaged. For example, food material10 can comprise a plurality of ingredients for soup, like meat chunks,vegetable pieces, onion slices and the like. However, the specific typeof food material can greatly vary. For example, the food material couldbe cereal pieces for a ready-to-eat cereal product. In any case,conveyor system 25 is mounted to a support structure 35 and includes anendless conveyor belt 50 which extends around a plurality of rollers,including a rear return roller 55 and a drive motor 57 driven by a motor58 through a gearing unit 59. Conveyor belt 50 includes a first or frontend portion 60, a second or rear end portion 62, and a central portion64. Within central portion 64, conveyor belt 50 receives food material10 from a supply line 70 including a discharge port 75, with foodmaterial 10 being laterally retained upon conveyor belt 50 by side wallsmembers 80 and 82. In traveling in supply direction 15, food material 10is delivered upon conveyor belt 50 towards a chute assembly 100 arrangedat first end portion 60. In the embodiment shown, chute assembly 100includes an upper chute member 102 and lower chute member 104 whichdirect food material 10 toward a subsequent processing station 110. Inone embodiment wherein conveyor system 25 is employed in making soup,processing station 110 includes a rotating drum 115 having a pluralityof outlet ports 120 beneath which are arranged containers into which thefood material 10 is directed for initial packaging. As the particularsof processing station 110 are not part of the present invention, theywill not be further discussed herein.

Arranged between central portion 64 and first end portion 60 of conveyorbelt 50 is a metal detector 140. As clearly shown in this figure, foodmaterial 10 is directed upon conveyor belt 50 below metal detector 140which is linked to a controller, generically indicated at 145. As willbe detailed more fully below, controller 145 is also connected to motor58, as well as the supply for line 70 wherein, when metal detector 140outputs a signal indicating the presence of metal within food material10, controller 145 operates to cease the supply of food material throughline 70 and redirects conveyor belt 50 to be driven in a second orreverse direction 150 by controlling motor 58.

Reference will now be made to FIG. 2 in describing additional structureassociated with conveyor system 25. As shown, conveyor belt 50 alsoextends around a forward idle roller 152, as well as a plurality ofspaced guide rollers 153, 154 and 156. Extending forward from first endportion 60 are a pair of laterally spaced arms 156 and 157 (also seeFIG. 1) between which extends a cross member 159. Attached to an end ofeach laterally spaced arm 156, 157 is a L-shaped plate 162 including anarcuate slot 164 at which cross member 159 is secured by a bolt 168.Arranged below idle roller 152 and guide roller 153 are laterally spacedsupport plates, one of which is indicated in FIG. 2 at 176. At a forwardportion of support plate 176 is provided an arcuate slot 179 and a pivotaxle 182 for laterally spaced arms 185 used to support lower chutemember 104 through elongated terminal chute supports 106 and 107, aswell as a central arcuate support portion 108. Each arm 185 is therebypivotable about axle 182 while being selectively securable in a desiredangular position by the tightening of bolts 188, each of which extendsthrough the slot 179 of a respective support plate 176. Further detailsof the mounting and selective removal of each of upper and lower chutemembers 102 and 104 will be discussed hereinafter with particularreference to FIG. 5.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, conveyor system 25includes one or more belt cleaning assemblies acting on a lower rung 50Bof conveyor belt 150 below the food support surface, with a first beltcleaning assembly generally indicated at 195 in FIG. 2. As shown, beltcleaning assembly 195 constitutes a linkage assembly including a leverarm having a central arm portion 197, a distal arm portion 199 which isattached at pivot mount 200, an extension arm portion 202 and a handleportion 204. Although not shown based on the view provided, anotherlinkage assembly is also preferably provided on an opposing lateral sideof conveyor belt 50. Located within central arm portion 197 is asubstantially horizontally extending slot 206. Belt cleaning assembly195 also includes a belt cleaning member 210 generally constituted by ascraper which is in direct contact with a lower rung 50B of conveyorbelt 50 as clearly shown in this figure. Belt cleaning member 210 ismounted for pivotable movement about a pivot axis 212 and includes a pin215 which extends through slot 206. The positioning of pin 215 withinslot 206 establishes a pivot limiting assembly which defines thepermissible pivotable movement of belt cleaning member 210 relative toboth conveyor belt 50 and the vertical. In particular, with the foodsupporting surface or upper rung 50A of conveyor belt 50 being driven insupply direction 15, it can be seen that belt cleaning member 210 isacutely angled relative to the vertical toward the rear end of conveyorsystem 25, with pin 215 abutting a forward edge (not labeled) of centralarm portion 197 at slot 206. Belt cleaning member 210 is biased intoengagement with conveyor belt 50 by means of a spring 220 that isattached at one end to a mounting projection 221 extending from centralarm portion 197 and a second end positioned within a hole (not labeled)provided in a fixed plate 222. Through the use of handle portion 204,belt cleaning member 210 can be repositioned out of engagement withconveyor belt 50 by pulling down on handle portion 204 to cause pivotingof distal arm portion 199 about pivot mount 200 against the biasingforce of spring 220 to enable cleaning and/or replacing of belt cleaningmember 210.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 3 and 4 in describing the structureof a second belt cleaning assembly 251 employed with conveyor system 25.At this point, as with belt cleaning assembly 195, it should be notedthat belt cleaning assembly 251 includes right and left linkageassemblies which are correspondingly constructed such that one side willbe described in detail and it is to be understood that correspondingstructure is provided on the other side. In particular, as shown, beltcleaning assembly 251 includes a support mount 254 that generally takesthe form of an inverted h-shaped mount including a first leg 256, asecond leg 257 and a connecting leg 258. Established along second leg257 is a pivot axis 260 such as by a bolt or pin for a lever arm 263.Lever arm 263 includes a distal arm portion 266 which is attached at apivot mount 267 to an upstanding arm 269. Lever arm 263 also includes anextension arm portion 271 and a handle portion 273. A lower link 276extends between a pivot mount 278 on second leg 257 to a pivot mount 279provided at a lower end of upstanding arm 269. Upstanding arm 269 isprovided with a substantially horizontally extending slot 283. Mountedto upstanding arm 269 is a replaceable belt cleaning member (scraper)286 which is supported (clamped) by a cleaning member mount 288including terminal mounting blocks 290. Each terminal mounting block 290is rotatably attached to a respective upstanding arm 269 through a pivotmount 292 defining an axis of rotation, with cleaning member mount 288also including a pin 295 which projects into slot 283 to limit thepermissible pivoting movement of belt cleaning member 286 relative tobelt 50, upstanding arm 269 and the vertical. As with belt cleaningmember 210 of belt cleaning assembly 195, belt cleaning member 286 isarranged at an acute angle to the vertical as conveyor 50 is driven insupply direction 15, with pin 295 engaging upstanding arm 269 at slot283. A spring 300 extends between a mounting projection 303 and a hole306 formed in a leg extension 309 of first leg 256, with spring 300biasing lever arm 63 downward and, correspondingly, belt cleaning member286 upward into engagement with conveyor belt 50. First leg 256 is alsoshown to be provided with an upper repositioning hole 313 and extensionarm portion 271 includes a retention hole 216 (FIG. 4). With thisarrangement, when it is desired to manually disengage belt cleaningmember 286 from conveyor belt 50, end portion 273 can be lifted againstthe biasing force of spring 300 until upper repositioning hole 303becomes aligned with retention hole 316, at which point a pin (notshown) can be inserted through these aligned holes. In this fashion,second belt cleaning assembly 251 can be retained in a retractedposition for the cleaning or replacement of belt cleaning member 286.

As mentioned above, during operation of conveyor system 25, foodmaterial 10 is directed upon conveyor 50 and, so long as metal detector140 does not detect any metal in food material 10, supply line 70continues to supply food material 10 onto central portion 64. The foodmaterial 10 landing atop conveyor belt 50 can be either wet or dry. Ineither case, residue material will develop on conveyor belt 50 and, atleast to some extent, will remain on conveyor belt 50 as the conveyorbelt extends around front idle roller 152. With belt cleaning member 210and belt cleaning member 286 in engagement with conveyor belt 50, thisresidue will be scraped from conveyor belt 50 before those portions ofconveyor belt 50 receive additional food material 10. If, duringoperation of conveyor system 25, metal detector 140 senses metal in foodmaterial 10, conveyor belt 50 will automatically be reversed such thatthe upper rung 50A will be driven in direction 150 (FIG. 1) while thedischarge of new food material 10 onto conveyor belt 50 from supply line70 is paused. Under these circumstances, conveyor belt 50 will be drivenin this reverse direction for either a predetermined distance or timenecessary for all the food material 10 carried by conveyor belt 50 atthat time is discarded within a bin or the like (not shown) arrangedbelow rear return roller 55. At the same time, when conveyor belt 50 isdriven in reverse direction 150, the engagement between conveyor belt 50and each of belt cleaning members 210 and 286 will automatically forcebelt cleaning members 210 and 286 to an opposing acute angle relative tothe vertical. More specifically, for belt cleaning member 210, rotationabout pivot axis 212 will automatically occur with this pivotingmovement being limited by the travel distance of pin 215 within slot206. In a similar manner, belt cleaning member 286 will alsoautomatically pivot from the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 aboutpivot axis 292, based on the direct frictional engagement with conveyorbelt 50, so as to be angled forward at an acute angle as defined by themovement of pin 295 within slot 283. Therefore, each belt cleaningmember 210 and 286 is angled, with respect to the vertical, in adirection opposite a travel direction of the conveyor belt (note thetravel direction is construed in accordance with the invention based onthe direction of movement of the upper food supporting surface). Thisangular repositioning of belt cleaning members 210 and 286 has beenfound to be particularly effective in enhancing the ability of beltcleaning assemblies 195 and 251 to properly clean belt 50 duringoperation, with the combined angular movement, i.e., sum of the acuteangles, still representing an acute angle.

Reference will now be made to FIG. 5 in describing another aspect of theinvention in connection with a preferred mounting of each of upper chutemember 102 and lower chute member 104. Shown in more detail in thisfigure is cross member 159 which includes a central arcuate portion 330and terminal straightened portions 332 and 333. Cross member 159 alsohas fixedly attached thereto a plurality of spaced chute supports336-338. At the same time, upper chute member 102 is formed with a pairof spaced keyhole slots 341 and 342 which are generally aligned withchute supports 336 and 338, respectively. In a similar manner, lowerchute member 104 is formed with a plurality of keyhole slots 344-347. Asexemplified by keyhole slot 346, each keyhole slot 341, 342 and 344-347includes an enlarged diametric opening 349 leading to a narrowed slottedopening 350. For use in mounting upper chute member 102 and lower chutemember 104, a series of mounting pegs are employed which become alignedand cooperate with respective ones of keyhole slots 341, 342 and344-347. One such mounting peg arrangement is detailed in FIG. 5 at 352to include an enlarged head 354 and a reduced diametric shaft portion356. For upper chute member 102, mounting occurs by flexing upper chutemember 102, which is preferably made of plastic, against arcuate crossmember 159 while aligning keyholes slots 341 and 342 with mounting pegs352 extending from chute supports 336 and 338. Once a respectiveenlarged head 354 is received in a respective enlarged diametric opening349, upper chute member 102 can be shifted downward such that thereduced diametric shaft portion 356 slides in a respective narrowedslotted opening 350. The same is true in connection with flexing andmounting of lower chute member 104 through the use of keyholes 344-347and respective mounting pegs 352 which are affixed to elongated terminalchute supports 106 and 107 discussed above with reference to FIG. 2.Upon being released, the upper and lower chute members 102 and 104remain partially flexed in concave conditions and will be frictionallyretained in their operative positions. The keyhole slots 341, 342 and344-347 are arranged so that forces applied by the food material 10hitting and being deflected by the chute members 102 and 104 will notlead to release of chute members 102 and 104. However, removal of chutemembers 102 and 104 for cleaning or replacement purposes can be readilyperformed through this overall quick release arrangement without theneed for any tools.

Based on the above, it should be readily apparent that the presentinvention provides a way to prevent residue left behind on abidirectional food conveyor belt from accumulating below the conveyorbelt. In addition, the invention provides for an efficient manner toclean and/or replace the one or more scrapers, as well as chute members.While certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have beenset forth, it should be understood that various changes or modificationscould be made without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A conveyor assembly comprising: an idleroller; a drive roller spaced from the idle roller; a motor for drivingthe drive roller; a conveyor belt extending around both the idle rollerand the drive roller, said conveyor belt including a first end portion,a second end portion and a central portion spacing the first and secondend portions, said conveyor belt being configured to be driven uponoperation of the motor to transport food material in either a firstdirection toward a further processing station and an opposing, seconddirection away from the further processing station; a food materialsupply line configured to introduce the food material at the centralportion of the conveyor belt; a metal detector provided between thefirst end portion of the conveyor belt and the food material supplyline, with the metal detector being configured to output a metaldetection signal when metal is detected in the food material transportedin the first direction; a controller configured to control the motor tocause the conveyor belt to be driven in the second direction uponreceipt of a metal detection signal from the metal detector; and a beltcleaning member configured to clean residue food material from theconveyor belt by engaging the conveyor belt during operation of theconveyor belt in each of the first and second directions, wherein thebelt cleaning member is automatically repositioned from a first acuteangle with respect to a vertical to a second acute angle with respect tothe vertical upon the conveyor belt being switched between drive in thefirst direction versus the second direction.
 2. The conveyor assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the belt cleaning member is angled, with respect to thevertical, in a direction opposite a travel direction of the conveyorbelt.
 3. The conveyor assembly of claim 1, wherein the belt cleaningmember is constituted by a scraper.
 4. The conveyor assembly of claim 3,wherein the conveyor belt has a top surface for receiving the foodmaterial from the food material supply line, with top surface becoming abottom surface as the conveyor belt extends about one of the idle anddrive rollers, said scraper engaging the bottom surface of the conveyorbelt.
 5. The conveyor assembly of claim 3, further comprising a supportmember attached to the scraper, said support member being mounted forpivotal movement to accommodate automatically repositioning of the beltcleaner.
 6. The conveyor assembly of claim 5, further comprising a pivotlimiting assembly for limiting pivotal movement of the scraper betweenthe first and second acute angles.
 7. The conveyor assembly of claim 1,wherein a sum of the first and second acute angles is an acute angle. 8.The conveyor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a linkage assemblyfor selectively shifting the belt cleaning member between an in-useposition in which the belt cleaning member engages the conveyor beltduring operation and a non-use position wherein the belt cleaning memberis spaced from the conveyor belt for cleaning or replacement of the beltcleaning member.
 9. The conveyor assembly of claim 1, wherein the beltcleaning member engages the conveyor belt at the first end portion, saidconveyor assembly including another belt cleaning member configured toengage the conveyor belt at the second end portion.
 10. The conveyorassembly of claim 1, further comprising: at least one chute memberspaced from the first end portion of the conveyor belt for deflectingthe food material toward the packaging station; and a quick releaseconnection selectively removably mounting the at least one chute memberrelative to the conveyor belt.
 11. The conveyor assembly of claim 10,wherein the quick release connection includes spaced keyhole slotsformed in the at least one chute member, each having an enlargeddiametric opening leading to a narrowed slot, and spaced mounting pegsprovided on supporting structure adjacent the first end portion of theconveyor belt, with the mounting pegs being aligning with and receivedin the keyhole slots.
 12. The conveyor assembly of claim 11, wherein themounting pegs are aligning with and receivable in the keyhole slots onlywhen the at least one chute member is placed in a flexed state.
 13. Theconveyor assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one chute memberincludes upper and lower chute members guiding the food material towardthe packaging station.
 14. A conveyor assembly comprising: an idleroller; a drive roller spaced from the idle roller; a motor for drivingthe drive roller; a conveyor belt extending around both the idle rollerand the drive roller, said conveyor belt including a first end portion,a second end portion and a central portion spacing the first and secondend portions, said conveyor belt being configured to be driven uponoperation of the motor to transport food material in either a firstdirection toward a further processing station and an opposing, seconddirection away from the further processing station; a food materialsupply line configured to introduce the food material at the centralportion of the conveyor belt; a metal detector provided between thefirst end portion of the conveyor belt and the food material supplyline, with the metal detector being configured to output a metaldetection signal when metal is detected in the food material transportedin the first direction; a controller configured to control the motor tocause the conveyor belt to be driven in the second direction uponreceipt of a metal detection signal from the metal detector, wherein thecontroller is configured to control the motor to cause the conveyor beltto be driven for a predetermined time or distance in the seconddirection and then automatically reversing the motor to drive theconveyor belt in the first direction; and a belt cleaning memberconfigured to clean residue food material from the conveyor belt byengaging the conveyor belt during operation of the conveyor belt in eachof the first and second directions, wherein the belt cleaning member isautomatically repositioned from a first acute angle with respect to avertical to a second acute angle with respect to the vertical upon theconveyor belt being switched between drive in the first direction versusthe second direction.
 15. A method of operating a conveyor assemblyincluding a conveyor belt which extends around both an idle roller and adrive roller which is spaced from the idle roller and driven uponoperation of a motor and includes a first end portion, a second endportion and a central portion spacing the first and second end portions,said method comprising: supplying food material from a food supply lineinitially onto the central portion of the conveyor belt as the conveyorbelt travels in the first direction toward a further processing station;outputting a metal detection signal to a controller when metal isdetected in the food material by a metal detector located between thefirst end portion of the conveyor belt and the food material supply lineas the food material is transported in the first direction; through thecontroller, controlling the motor to cause the conveyor belt to bedriven in an opposing, second direction away from the further processingstation upon receipt of the metal detection signal from the metaldetector; and automatically repositioning a belt cleaning member,configured to clean residue food material from the conveyor belt duringoperation of the conveyor belt in each of the first and seconddirections, from a first acute angle with respect to a vertical to asecond acute angle with respect to the vertical upon the conveyor beltbeing switched between drive in the first direction versus the seconddirection.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the belt cleaning memberis angled, with respect to the vertical, in a direction opposite atravel direction of the conveyor belt.
 17. The method of claim 15,wherein the belt cleaning member is automatically repositioned throughpivotal movement based on direct contact between the conveyor belt andthe belt cleaning member.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprisinglimiting the pivotal movement to only between the first and second acuteangles, with wherein a sum of the first and second acute angles is anacute angle.
 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising control themotor to cause the conveyor belt to be driven for a predetermined timeor distance in the second direction and then automatically reversing themotor to drive the conveyor belt in the first direction.
 20. The methodof claim 15, further comprising selectively shifting the belt cleaningmember between an in-use position in which the belt cleaning memberengages the conveyor belt during operation and a non-use positionwherein the belt cleaning member is spaced from the conveyor belt forcleaning or replacement of the belt cleaning member.
 21. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising: mounting at least one chute member at aposition adjacent the first end portion of the conveyor belt through aquick release connection; and deflecting the food material toward thefurther processing station with the at least one chute member as theconveyor belt travels in the first direction.
 22. The method of claim21, wherein mounting the at least one chute member through the quickrelease connection includes flexing the at least one chute member toalign enlarged diametric openings of spaced keyhole slots formed in theat least one chute member with enlarged heads of spaced mounting pegsprovided on supporting structure adjacent the first end portion of theconveyor belt and then shifting the at least one chute member relativeto the mounting pegs.